Elle Macpherson reveals secret breast cancer battle

Elle Macpherson has revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago.

In her new memoir, Elle, the Australian model revealed she was diagnosed with HER2 positive oestrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma after undergoing a lumpectomy.

Her doctor suggested a course of traditional treatment methods such as radiation, chemotherapy and surgery but the 60-year-old opted for a holistic approach.

"It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways," she told The Australian Women's Weekly. "And it really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me...I realised I was going to need my own truth, my belief system to support me through it. And that's what I did. So, it was a wonderful exercise in being true to myself, trusting myself and trusting the nature of my body and the course of action that I had chosen."

Reflecting on the decision to shun the conventional pharmaceutical route, Elle wrote in her book, "Saying no to standard medical solutions was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. But saying no to my own inner sense would have been even harder."

The star, who is known for her holistic approach to health and wellness, insisted it took "courage" to make "an authentic choice from the heart makes no sense to others".

The WelleCo founder admitted her eldest child Flynn, who was 19 at the time, and her former partner Arki Busson didn't agree with her decision but were still "supportive".

Elle sought the advice of more than 30 medical professionals before making her choice. For her treatment, she rented a house in Phoenix, Arizona and stayed there alone "focusing and devoting every single minute to healing myself" under her doctor's supervision for eight months.

Sharing an update on her health now, the catwalk beauty told the publication, "In traditional terms, they'd say I'm in clinical remission, but I would say I'm in utter wellness. And I am! Truly, from every perspective, every blood test, every scan, every imaging test... but also emotionally, spiritually and mentally - not only physically. It's not only what your blood tests say, it's how and why you are living your life on all levels."

Elle shares sons Flynn, 26, and Cy, 21, with Busson, who she dated between 1996 and 2005.